Wrestling: Broomfield places 2nd to Grand Island at Top of the Rockies

Four Eagles win individual crowns at prestigious Centaurus tournament

LAFAYETTE -- Coach Joe Pereira made no bones about Broomfield's intentions entering the Top of the Rockies Invitational -- win the prestigious wrestling tournament's title.

The Eagles were edged from accomplishing the lofty goal Saturday at Centaurus High School, but falling short did little to dampen the coach's spirits. Pereira, however, had good reason to have buoyed spirits despite coming up short against two-time defending state champion Grand Island, Neb.

The Eagles might not have brought the Top of the Rockies crown back to Colorado, but the team proved it is a force to be reckoned with in the state.

"We managed to put a lot of good matches together," said Pereira, whose team fell seven points short of Grand Island. "I'm happy with the way we performed. And I think we all know we can wrestle even better than we did tonight."

With the Eagles winning five of their six championship and third-place matches, improving on their finish at Centaurus could mean big things. The team faced a number of its potential Class 4A state foes at the Top of the Rockies and left them all in the dust.

"And we're going to go straight back to work on Monday," Pereira said. "State is the goal and we're going to still approach it like we're the underdogs."

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The finish for the Top of the Rockies title went right down to the wire. The deciding points for Broomfield and Grand Island came in the teams' 220-pound matches. But the championship fell Grand Island's way when it pinned in its third-place match and Broomfield got pinned in its championship bout.

But just before Broomfield's Connor Eakes lost, the team came up with an impressive run of wins to help chip away at the 13-point lead Grand Island brought into the finals. The Eagles won five straight matches and drew within three points after 195-pounder D.J. Zissimos' 8-1 decision over Fort Morgan's Toby McBride.

"We came in with the idea that we needed to do what we needed to do," Zissimos said. "But even after my win, I knew it was still up in the air."

Broomfield's two-time state champion 145-pounder Phil Downing came away with his third consecutive title at the Top of the Rockies. And the team's sophomore 106-pounder Darek Huff came up with his first, as did Drew Romero. Romero's finals win was a huge relief to the two-time state champion after coming up short a year ago at Centaurus.

"I've thought about that loss almost everyday since last year, about getting headlocked and pinned," Romero said.

Romero wrestled like a man possessed this time around and proved plenty along the way. His 11-0 major decision came against Joel Salomon of Windsor, a wrestler the Eagle is fairly certain he'll meet again in the state brackets.

Broomfield's Phil Downing, top, works his way to victory over Rio Rancho's Miguel Barreras in the 145-pound championship bout on Saturday night at the Top of the Rockies Invitational at Centaurus High School.
(
David R. Jennings
)

"That's a win I can sleep better at night with," Romero said. "With him knowing I can beat him."

Where Romero had the Eagles' most convincing win, Zach Stodden had it most dramatic. Broomfield's 170-pounder was on the ropes to start the third period of his championship match, but staged an impressive comeback against JaCobi Jones.

Stodden beat the Omaha North wrestler at his own game, catching the fleet-footed junior in the final seconds of the match with a takedown. The victory was only enhanced with the Eagle earning it while fighting a stomach bug -- one that made him wretch midway through the match.

"I just kept my head in it the whole time," he said. "I guess I was in it to win it."

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